---
title: Read receipts
---

import {TabItem, Tabs} from "@astrojs/starlight/components";

import FlattenedSteps from "../../components/FlattenedSteps.astro";
import KeyboardTip from "../../components/KeyboardTip.astro";
import NavigationSteps from "../../components/NavigationSteps.astro";
import ZulipTip from "../../components/ZulipTip.astro";
import AdminOnly from "../include/_AdminOnly.mdx";
import MessageActionsMenu from "../include/_MessageActionsMenu.mdx";
import MessageLongPressMenu from "../include/_MessageLongPressMenu.mdx";
import SaveChanges from "../include/_SaveChanges.mdx";

Read receipts let you check who has read a message. You can see read receipts
for any message, including both [channel messages](/help/introduction-to-channels)
and [direct messages](/help/direct-messages).

With privacy in mind, Zulip lets you [control][configure-personal-read-receipts]
whether your read receipts are shared, and administrators can
[choose][configure-organization-read-receipts] whether to enable read receipts in
their organization.

<ZulipTip>
  Read receipts reflect whether or not someone has marked a message as read,
  whether by viewing it, or [by marking messages as read in
  bulk](/help/marking-messages-as-read).
</ZulipTip>

## View who has read a message

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Desktop/Web">
    <FlattenedSteps>
      <MessageActionsMenu />

      1. Click **View read receipts**.
    </FlattenedSteps>

    <KeyboardTip>
      You can also use <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>V</kbd> to show or hide read receipts
      for the selected message.
    </KeyboardTip>
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem label="Mobile">
    <FlattenedSteps>
      <MessageLongPressMenu />

      1. Tap **View read receipts**.
    </FlattenedSteps>
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

<ZulipTip>
  In addition to a list of names, you will see how many people have read
  the message.
</ZulipTip>

## Configure whether Zulip lets others see when you've read messages

Zulip supports the privacy option of never sharing whether or not you have read
a message. If this setting is turned off, your name will never appear in the
list of read receipts.

<FlattenedSteps>
  <NavigationSteps target="settings/account-and-privacy" />

  1. Under **Privacy**, toggle **Let others see when I've read messages**.
</FlattenedSteps>

## Configure read receipts for your organization

<AdminOnly />

You can configure:

* Whether read receipts are enabled in your organization.
* Whether new users will allow others to view read receipts by default. (Note
  that users [can always change this setting][configure-personal-read-receipts]
  once they join.)

### Configure whether read receipts are enabled in your organization

<FlattenedSteps>
  <NavigationSteps target="settings/organization-settings" />

  1. Under **Message feed settings**, toggle **Enable read receipts**.

  <SaveChanges />
</FlattenedSteps>

### Configure default read receipt sharing settings for new users

<FlattenedSteps>
  <NavigationSteps target="settings/default-user-settings" />

  1. Under **Privacy settings**, toggle **Allow other users to view read receipts**.
</FlattenedSteps>

## Related articles

* [Status and availability](/help/status-and-availability)
* [Typing notifications](/help/typing-notifications)
* [Marking messages as read](/help/marking-messages-as-read)
* [Marking messages as unread](/help/marking-messages-as-unread)

[configure-personal-read-receipts]: /help/read-receipts#configure-whether-zulip-lets-others-see-when-youve-read-messages

[configure-organization-read-receipts]: /help/read-receipts#configure-whether-read-receipts-are-enabled-in-your-organization
